Found a position making prosthetics in Pottstown. The company makes Prosthetic limbs and anti-siezure apparatus. The position is a "Creative Apprentice" for 6 weeks. Basically, the job's not for everyone.
May 6th: Applied. Got an email within hours.
May 9th: Phone interview. They likely work and the type of experience I can offer. They've never had an industrial designer on the crew.
May 19th: Intended day of interview (since Graduation and Moving home will be taken care of.)
Wish me luck. The pay isn't forbes front-cover worthy, but'll be able to pay off some loans, and maybe buy another project for the summer.
Thursday, May 14, 2015
Heavy-Gauge Plastics Position "Available"
Apr 3: My name, interested, and portfolio have officially been sent to a colleague of Kelly. Kelly is the man I've known for some time and just had an interview with. I showed more interest in the Heavy-gauge department, and he assured me that he'd get my work in front of the right eyes.
Apr 9: Had the interview. People seem interested in my work and the fact that I'm local. Although their primary intent is business and expansion, they DO still seem to have a passion for the people that work there or are interested with it. Maybe it's Philly desensitizing me to mean/nice people, but this was definitely the first series of interviews where I felt like they cared.
Apr 12-15: Some cat-and-mouse phone calls have resulted in an offer. It sounds like the position is a "new" position. It's a position in the one department, but the heavy-gauge department never had somebody employed there solely to create the models and cad drawing for the prototyping process.
My biggest problem is hours right now.
Apr 17: My mother's been looking for a job since Halloween. To keep the personal feelings out of it, I'll keep it short. I live in an area with very few businesses close. The closest place to work for is a Turnpike Rest stop. I worked there for 3+ years before/transitioning into college. She has ended up settling with a position there. She got an interview, and in conversation she mentioned I'll be graduating very soon.
Apr 20: Received a Phone call from Brentwood. There's some conflict with my Summer class hours, and the company's weekly meeting on Wednesday nights. They know I'm interested and they said they'll keep the position "void" until I have the right availability to start. I will still be looking for other positions.
Apr 22: My old supervisor position at Starbucks had been dangled in my face. It's money, but it's not exactly what I saw myself doing post-graduation.
I will still be looking of employment. But the bottom line is, if nothing shows up by May 18th, I will take the Sbux position for 6 weeks.
I will still be looking of employment. But the bottom line is, if nothing shows up by May 18th, I will take the Sbux position for 6 weeks.
Thursday, April 23, 2015
Smoke and Mirrors: a Dennis Hoxter story.
Smoke and Mirrors in my portfolio.
Smoke and Mirrors on the obligatory factory tour.
Smoke and mirrors once an offer in thrown at me.
Brentwood made me an offer. This is the place where I worked over winter break doing light gauge vaccuforming prototyping. I really enjoy the facilities, the convenience of its location and I like Kelly, the gentleman who was my connection to the inside.
But GlassDoor resulted in some mixed reviews; the company is progressing and growing, and there's always going to be a slight decrease in homeyness when a factory and it's employed body both grow.
Also, I've been warned that if I'm more interested in other departments within the company, I'll need to do a bit more convincing, I took this as, "You'll need one more interview"
Smoke and Mirrors on the obligatory factory tour.
Smoke and mirrors once an offer in thrown at me.
Brentwood made me an offer. This is the place where I worked over winter break doing light gauge vaccuforming prototyping. I really enjoy the facilities, the convenience of its location and I like Kelly, the gentleman who was my connection to the inside.
But GlassDoor resulted in some mixed reviews; the company is progressing and growing, and there's always going to be a slight decrease in homeyness when a factory and it's employed body both grow.
Also, I've been warned that if I'm more interested in other departments within the company, I'll need to do a bit more convincing, I took this as, "You'll need one more interview"
Thursday, March 26, 2015
Spring Break Endeavors (Or the employment related ones, at least)
Small town living doesn't have many wild perks, but I did encounter one whilst spring breaking.
Up until about a decade ago, a huge company called Graco Children's Products used to be headquartered in the town over. Elverson isn't exactly a big town, but like many rural areas, it's been developed. We have a Wal-Mart, and a Chevy dealership, and factories (Trucks, of course). But It also has a business network I couldn't have dreamed of ever being exposed to....
A secret network of Baby Product Development and Customer Relations.
ALL Ex-Graco in some form or another. ALL Rogue.
These men are:
Dean: a Former Businessman, who ran a Model making, Engineering, and Customer Service Office (Post Factory Closing). He Recently Moved from there to a small office right down the road. The Company is called Nuna Baby Essentials. They're Products are Dutch Designed luxury baby goods that are built to last. Very industrial aesthetics and really neat proprietary mechanics.
Art: Art worked for Graco Before and with Dean, but left before all the big close-downs. Art actually had a big hand in having one of Nuna's US office ending up in the elverson area. It sits not 3 miles down he road from Graco's old plant.
Nate: A Former Cessna Engineer and Graco engineer. But more recently, he's opened his own firm. The firm handles (Drum roll) Exclusively Baby Products. This firm is a strategic firm. What they do is work as a consultant for Baby Product Companies, like Graco, and act as a development middle man since they have a long tied relationship with Wonderland, a massive business in China that is responsible for manufacturing basically any stroller or high chair you could go buy in the US.
Thursday, February 26, 2015
Speaking of job interviews....
Job interviews are tough. Especially the question and answer part.
This video describes how you come off to potential employers.
http://www.fastcompany.com/3040884/how-you-really-sound-in-job-interviews
This video describes how you come off to potential employers.
http://www.fastcompany.com/3040884/how-you-really-sound-in-job-interviews
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Key Activities to Employment:
Crucial Tasks:
As of Right now, 02.19.15 @ 8:30PM, My ideal place of employment would be at one of two Baby product offices opening in my hometown. One is run by a long time Industrial Designer of Graco. The other is by a couple people from a slightly newer generation of Graco R&D. I have multiple connection to employees at these new offices, but their only personal at this point in time.
One is a potential Model Making Position involving the prototyping phase of products being designed, the other is Generic R & D job with Industrial Designers.
The locations, like I said, are extremely close, and both offer work that I can see myself doing.
1.) Complete a digital Portfolio: this will most likely be a very polished/interactive version of my physical portfolio. Most likely will be performed on Wix because of it's professional appeal
2.) Complete Capstone Book: Not only a ProPrac II assignment, but a chronicling of my last semester as an industrial Design student. To a perspective employer, this is a key way they will understand how I personally navigate the design process. Bonus: Since my capstone is also a group/multidisciplinary/industry sponsored project, it will show my skills in dealing with these types of work.
3.) Create a Portfolio section tailored to the world of Baby Products: I just want to have an attached section in the back of my physical portfolio that shows sketches, marker work, solid works, and maybe some rendering involving baby products. I have a pretty distinct drawing style and I plan on showing these guys what it looks like when I design products in their market.
4.) Connect with these potential employer and send my resume, business card, portfolio, etc*
*Must wait until the work is done and put together, obviously.
Secondary Tasks: (in order of personal priority/preference)
1.) Explore more work outside of University Mandated work and document to show my other skills not apparent in my portfolio
2.) The Idea of an Instagram to simply visual layout a process is genius. Smart phone friendly is so key right now.
3.) My Fiero. That was my baby in high school until I crashed it. I truly believe that piece of machinery could land me a job if the right set of eyes fall on it.
As of Right now, 02.19.15 @ 8:30PM, My ideal place of employment would be at one of two Baby product offices opening in my hometown. One is run by a long time Industrial Designer of Graco. The other is by a couple people from a slightly newer generation of Graco R&D. I have multiple connection to employees at these new offices, but their only personal at this point in time.
One is a potential Model Making Position involving the prototyping phase of products being designed, the other is Generic R & D job with Industrial Designers.
The locations, like I said, are extremely close, and both offer work that I can see myself doing.
1.) Complete a digital Portfolio: this will most likely be a very polished/interactive version of my physical portfolio. Most likely will be performed on Wix because of it's professional appeal
2.) Complete Capstone Book: Not only a ProPrac II assignment, but a chronicling of my last semester as an industrial Design student. To a perspective employer, this is a key way they will understand how I personally navigate the design process. Bonus: Since my capstone is also a group/multidisciplinary/industry sponsored project, it will show my skills in dealing with these types of work.
3.) Create a Portfolio section tailored to the world of Baby Products: I just want to have an attached section in the back of my physical portfolio that shows sketches, marker work, solid works, and maybe some rendering involving baby products. I have a pretty distinct drawing style and I plan on showing these guys what it looks like when I design products in their market.
4.) Connect with these potential employer and send my resume, business card, portfolio, etc*
*Must wait until the work is done and put together, obviously.
Secondary Tasks: (in order of personal priority/preference)
1.) Explore more work outside of University Mandated work and document to show my other skills not apparent in my portfolio
2.) The Idea of an Instagram to simply visual layout a process is genius. Smart phone friendly is so key right now.
3.) My Fiero. That was my baby in high school until I crashed it. I truly believe that piece of machinery could land me a job if the right set of eyes fall on it.
Shameless Self-Promos
These are some sort of, new ways to get an idea/product/project out into the world.
Most enjoy some type of interfaces, but the world of "Networking" is very much heading that way.
https://vimeo.com/21228618
Ikea Augment Freakin' Reality:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDNzTasuYEw
Wix.com: Supreme site; makes it so easy to create amazing websites.
http://www.wix.com/website/templates/html/design/architect-interiors/1
http://www.wix.com/website-template/view/html/1592?originUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wix.com%2Fwebsite%2Ftemplates%2Fhtml%2Fdesign%2Farchitect-interiors%2F1&bookName=create-master-new&galleryDocIndex=0&category=design&metaSiteId=
http://www.wix.com/website-template/view/html/928?originUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wix.com%2Fwebsite%2Ftemplates%2Fhtml%2Fdesign%2Farchitect-interiors%2F1&bookName=create-master-new&galleryDocIndex=2&category=design&metaSiteId=
Consultancy Research: What does a consultant do?
A consultant is a 3rd party that handles [in this case] the design decisions for a company and their idea for a new product.
This can be single person, a few people, or a large team, composed of a wide range of different types of designers (UX/UI, Design Engineers, Industrial Designers, etc)
The type of work involved can be categorized into three paths:
1.) The CLIENT (an incoming individual/company) has an idea of what they want; with things like inspiration, competitive products, and maybe even some type of proprietary technology they would like to implement. This means the DESIGNER, creates the product out of the parameters the client delivers. The consultant will also be responsible for questioning flaws in the idea or fabricating possible solutions.
2.) The CLIENT will approach the DESIGNER with aspirations their company entering a new market, be it emerging, or well established. This might also implement some sort of proprietary technology. If the client's company has similarly designed consumer goods, then the designer has something to go off of; if not, then the designer must create a visual brand identity using the visual skills they've acquired with experience. The visual identity will be implemented into the product so it appears to be from the company's existing product line.
3.) A combination of 1.) and 2.) where the client understand what kind of end product they're seeking but might not have any similar products (ex: a company like adobe wants to develop a tablet, but any previous product was just software)
4.) A CLIENT will approach a DESIGNER with some type of new technology, mechanism, or construction technique. The Designer is then responsible for the
This can be single person, a few people, or a large team, composed of a wide range of different types of designers (UX/UI, Design Engineers, Industrial Designers, etc)
The type of work involved can be categorized into three paths:
1.) The CLIENT (an incoming individual/company) has an idea of what they want; with things like inspiration, competitive products, and maybe even some type of proprietary technology they would like to implement. This means the DESIGNER, creates the product out of the parameters the client delivers. The consultant will also be responsible for questioning flaws in the idea or fabricating possible solutions.
2.) The CLIENT will approach the DESIGNER with aspirations their company entering a new market, be it emerging, or well established. This might also implement some sort of proprietary technology. If the client's company has similarly designed consumer goods, then the designer has something to go off of; if not, then the designer must create a visual brand identity using the visual skills they've acquired with experience. The visual identity will be implemented into the product so it appears to be from the company's existing product line.
3.) A combination of 1.) and 2.) where the client understand what kind of end product they're seeking but might not have any similar products (ex: a company like adobe wants to develop a tablet, but any previous product was just software)
4.) A CLIENT will approach a DESIGNER with some type of new technology, mechanism, or construction technique. The Designer is then responsible for the
About Me: What Kind of work I like, skills I want to use after college, etc.
After four years here in Philly, I can safely say the following information accurately conveys my current employment interests/demands:
To be brutally honest, I'm not certain on what type of job I'm in pursuit of. I enjoy make many things; It's just the kind of person I am. I can do CAD work well, I can make some pretty
In high school when we used to take those tests that tell us what we should be, I frequently got "jeweler". I was curious so I asked my guidance counselor. She told me it was for two main reasons, because I enjoy precision, and working with my hands. Makes sense. I spent my high school years elbow deep in engine compartments, or camping somewhere in the woods.
Some days it seems like I "think" and "do" in tandem. I find that jobs/projects that have a flexible brief, but know what the end result needs to achieve. Over the progression of the project I find it exciting if I hit a metaphoric brick wall, it only makes me want to find a more bulletproof solution.
I'm a candidate for projects/companies that have heightened demand for things like: precision mechanics/fabrication, superior finishing, and audacious form studies.
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